Improvement in machines for exercising the human body



NITE@ .oHARLEs F. TAYLOR,

OF NE\V YORK, N. Y.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 40,865, dated December 8, 1863.

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known. that I, CHARLES F. TAYLOR, of the city, county, and State ot' New York, have invented a new and useful Apparatus or Device for Exercising Certain Portions of the Human Body; and l do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and eXact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a side sectional view of my invention, taken in t-he line x m, Fig. 2, Fig. 2, an end view of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the two figures.

The object of this invention is to obtain a simple and efticient machine for exercising certain portions or members ot' the human body, designed more especially for the benefit of persons affected with dyspepsia, liver com plaint, &c.

The invention consists in theemployment or use of a lounge provided with an adjustable section for the purpose of adjusting the patient in the proper or desired position, and using in connection with said lounge a pair ot' reciprocating pads, arranged and operated in such a manner as to etect the desired end.

To enable those skilled in the art to i'ully understand and construct my invention, I will proceed to describe it.

A represents a lounge, the upper part or seat of which is divided into two parts, a b, the part b being stationary, and the part a hinged to b, and provided with a prop, B, which engages with racks c, attached to the framing of the lounge. By adjusting this prop the part a of the seat may bc more or less inclined, or placed in a horizontal position if required. To each side of the lounge A there is attached an upright, d, in the upper parts of which a horizontal bar, C, is tted and allowed to work freely. The central portion, e, ofthe bar C is of cylindrical form, the other parts, f j', being square, and passing through the uprights d d. To one end of the bar O there is attached a pendent bar, D, the lower edge of which has a notch or recess, g, in it, in which a serpentine cam, E, works, (see Fig. 2,) said cam being placed on a shaft,

F, which is iitted transversely in the lounge A. By turning the cam E a reciprocating movement is given the bar C. The bar D works between guides l1., attached to one of the uprights d. The cylindrical portion e ot' the bar (l has two arms, G G, attached to it, as follows: Metal straps H are attached to sockets I, through which the arms G G pass. To the front ends of the socket-bars J are attached, one to each, the lower ends of said bars being bent outward at right angles to the other parts, and passing through slots in the straps H. Through the bars J set-screws K pass, and bear against elastic plates L, attached to the sockets I. By this arrangement it will be seen that the arms G are rmly secured to the bar C, and said arms may be readily adjusted higher or lower, or more or less obliquely, or in a vertical position, as may be required. By screwing up the set-screws the straps H are made to bind iirmly on the bar (l, causing the arms G to be clamped between the bar C and the plates L.

To the lower end of each arm G there is attached, by a hinge, a', a pad, M. These pads have each a curved or segment bar,N, attached to their ripper sides, said bars passing through mortises in the arms, and being perforated to admit ot` pins b passing through them, said pins passing through the arms. By this arrangement it will be seen that the pads may be set to any angle, as maybe required.

The operation is as follows: The patient is placed upon the lounge, and adjusted, as desired, by raising or lowering the part ct. The pads M M are then applied to opposite sides of the persons just below the chest, in close proximity to the abdomen. The cam E is then turned, and a reciprocating or vibratory movement imparted to the bar C and arms G G, and the pads M M act upon the parts ot' the body to which they are applied,

and subject the same to the necessary agitation.

The apparatus or device has been practically tested, and has been found to answer an admira-ble purpose.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters tine c-.Lm E, and lounge A, all arranged and latcnt, is combined for joint operation, as and for the 1. The arms G-G, provided with adjustable purpose specified. pads M M, and attached to the reciprocating CHARLES F. TAYLOR.

bar C, substantially as shown, for the purpose Witnesses: specified. M. S. PARTRIDGE,

2. The arms G G, pads M M, bar C, serpen- DANIEL ROBERTSON. 

